6-1B Draft Albany Hill Creekside Master Plan

The following Plan addresses options and techniques for vegetation management, as well as access and circulation improvements for Albany Hill and Creekside Park. During the planning and review process the following vision for vegetation management and the future of the nine vegetation management units emerged:• Address high-risk issues related to fire, declining trees, flooding and other physical hazards throughout the park.• Manage the Hilltop Eucalyptus forest to slowly remove eucalyptus as the trees age and decline resulting in the dominance of the existing understory vegetation (grassland, toyon, oak, north coastal scrub.) This will result in a slow conversion from eucalyptus as the trees are removed when needed, incorporating actions to reduce risk of fire and protection of native species. Remove eucalyptus seedlings, resprouts and young trees – do not allow forest to expand beyond existing boundaries.• Manage the new parklands between Taft and Jackson for vegetation diversity. Manage the Eucalyptus Grassland area to retain eucalyptus overstory and grassland understory. Manage the Eucalyptus Oak Woodland area and Grassland Oak Woodland area to slowly remove eucalyptus allowing existing understory vegetation to dominate. Protect oak woodland on north and grass oak woodland on south from being shaded-out by eucalyptus. This provides for safer vegetation types from a fire protection perspective and more diverse habitat for wildlife.• Discourage human use of the new parklands between Taft and Jackson due to the steep slope. This area to be maintain as an open space preserve for wildlife. Management will continue to monitor for fire, other physical hazards, health and invasive non-native species.• Manage the Oak Woodlands for a diverse understory that provides rich habitat for wildlife. Address fire hazards and storm damage. Manage to prevent non-native invasive groundcover or shrubs from taking over large areas of understory reducing habitat value.• Manage the Grasslands in Creekside Park to address fire, safety and security concerns and enhance the big meadow. Maintain the size of grassland, shrubs and trees at 2011 boundaries.• Mange the Riparian area along Cerrito and Middle Creeks to address fire, flooding, safety and security concerns, as well as for a diverse vegetation mosaic providing rich habitat for wildlife.• Manage invasive non-native species that are high fire hazards, prevent pioneering species, contain invasive species and reduce harmful and damaging invasive species to below 2011 levels.The access and circulation portion of the plan aims to maintain the existing trails (with no additional trails recommended), improve circulation with relatively minor trail improvements, and develop a maintenance plan that includes an annual inspection of the trails and trail amenities such as benches, steps, and signs. Nearly all of the recommendations from the 1991 Albany Hill Creekside Master Plan remain in the 2012 updated Plan with the addition of more detailed trail maintenance and erosion control recommendations.

The following Plan addresses options and techniques for vegetation management, as well as access and circulation improvements for Albany Hill and Creekside Park. During the planning and review process the following vision for vegetation management and the future of the nine vegetation management units emerged:• Address high-risk issues related to fire, declining trees, flooding and other physical hazards throughout the park.• Manage the Hilltop Eucalyptus forest to slowly remove eucalyptus as the trees age and decline resulting in the dominance of the existing understory vegetation (grassland, toyon, oak, north coastal scrub.) This will result in a slow conversion from eucalyptus as the trees are removed when needed, incorporating actions to reduce risk of fire and protection of native species. Remove eucalyptus seedlings, resprouts and young trees – do not allow forest to expand beyond existing boundaries.• Manage the new parklands between Taft and Jackson for vegetation diversity. Manage the Eucalyptus Grassland area to retain eucalyptus overstory and grassland understory. Manage the Eucalyptus Oak Woodland area and Grassland Oak Woodland area to slowly remove eucalyptus allowing existing understory vegetation to dominate. Protect oak woodland on north and grass oak woodland on south from being shaded-out by eucalyptus. This provides for safer vegetation types from a fire protection perspective and more diverse habitat for wildlife.• Discourage human use of the new parklands between Taft and Jackson due to the steep slope. This area to be maintain as an open space preserve for wildlife. Management will continue to monitor for fire, other physical hazards, health and invasive non-native species.• Manage the Oak Woodlands for a diverse understory that provides rich habitat for wildlife. Address fire hazards and storm damage. Manage to prevent non-native invasive groundcover or shrubs from taking over large areas of understory reducing habitat value.• Manage the Grasslands in Creekside Park to address fire, safety and security concerns and enhance the big meadow. Maintain the size of grassland, shrubs and trees at 2011 boundaries.• Mange the Riparian area along Cerrito and Middle Creeks to address fire, flooding, safety and security concerns, as well as for a diverse vegetation mosaic providing rich habitat for wildlife.• Manage invasive non-native species that are high fire hazards, prevent pioneering species, contain invasive species and reduce harmful and damaging invasive species to below 2011 levels.The access and circulation portion of the plan aims to maintain the existing trails (with no additional trails recommended), improve circulation with relatively minor trail improvements, and develop a maintenance plan that includes an annual inspection of the trails and trail amenities such as benches, steps, and signs. Nearly all of the recommendations from the 1991 Albany Hill Creekside Master Plan remain in the 2012 updated Plan with the addition of more detailed trail maintenance and erosion control recommendations.